This invention relates to combustors, and more particularly to combustors for gas turbine engines.
Gas turbine engine combustors may take several forms. An exemplary class of combustors features an annular combustion chamber having forward/upstream inlets for fuel and air and aft/downstream outlet for directing combustion products to the turbine section of the engine. An exemplary combustor features inboard and outboard walls extending aft from a forward bulkhead in which swirlers are mounted and through which fuel nozzles/injectors are accommodated for the introduction of inlet air and fuel. Exemplary walls are double structured, having an interior heat shield and an exterior shell. An example of a combustor layout is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,587. An example of a swirler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,937. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length.